Humbucker covers... advice required...

bloodandtears

I am considering adding some chrome or gold plated covers to some black Seymour Duncan humbuckers on one of my guitars...

I recall trying to do this a while ago on an Epiphone SG I had and it went terribly; nothing but squealing.. had to immediately remove them (all prior to a gig)

What's the trick here? hot glue to avoid vibration? can't be because magnets and metal??

Please help...

ICBM

It's because the cover vibrates and essentially acts as a 'string signal'. To fix it really properly you need to wax pot the pickup, but you can usually cure it effectively with a piece of double-sided tape - the slightly thicker 'foam' type is best - on the tops of the bobbins so it sticks the cover down.

bloodandtears

Is it also achieved by spot soldering to the pick-up base plate? 

ICBM

bloodandtears said:

Is it also achieved by spot soldering to the pick-up base plate? 

No, you have to do that anyway to make a good ground connection. Soldering alone without potting or tape won't stop microphonics.

bloodandtears

OK.. Glad I asked..  Cheers for your help once again 

Funkfingers

As ICBM says, either tape between the cover and the bobbins or full double wax potting to minimise microphony.

The other essential ingredient is a clamp or two to push the humbucker firmly inside the cover prior to soldering.

normula1

Masking tape over the screwholes in the cover, melt a few wax beads into the cover with a hot soldering iron. You'll need to keep the iron moving. Quickly put the pickup into the cover and ideally gently clamp it. Leave for 5 mins or so, solder the cover remove the tape and adjust the pole pieces before the wax has fully solidified. Clean of any excess wax with a dry cloth.
Don't go crazy with the number of beads, you're not trying to fill the cover, just enough to stop it vibrating against the bobbins. It's easier to add one more bead than pour out hot wax